The present invention relates to a variable sun screen for a vehicle in which first and second relatively movable sheet members are provided with selectively alignable opaque and transparent matrices for adjusting the level of opacity of the sun screen.
Vehicle sun screening members, such as sun visors, are required to xe2x80x9cblock the sunxe2x80x9d to improve visibility for the driver, but it may be advantageous at times to have a certain percentage visibility through the visor. For example, it may be desirable to see an overhead traffic signal when the sun is directly ahead and low in the sky. At other times, the visor may need to be totally opaque.
It may also be desirable to selectively vary the percentage of visibility through a sunroof or overhead vehicle window. This may be necessary to reduce glare inside the vehicle, or to reduce heat build-up inside the vehicle which results from unobstructed sunlight through a window or sunroof.
The present invention provides a variable shade sun screen having first and second relatively movable sheets with alignable or offsetable matrices of translucent and opaque portions to selectively vary the opacity of the sun screen. This invention can be used in a sun visor, a sunroof, or adjacent any vehicle window surface.
In one embodiment, the invention allows for adjustment of a matrix of matching shapes, opaque in nature, printed or otherwise applied to two clear sheets of material, one sheet being stationary within a sun visor body, the second being adjustable laterally by means of an adjuster on the periphery of the visor.
In another embodiment, a movable clear film is imprinted with a dot pattern, and two transparent fixed blades are bonded to an opaque bottom edge extrusion. A hole pattern is printed on an inside surface of one of the blades. The dot pattern and hole pattern may be selectively aligned or misaligned to adjust opacity of the assembly. Various embodiments for implementing this structure are contemplated and described herein.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a movable inner panel is applied against an outer glass panel on the roof of a vehicle. The inner movable panel includes a matrix of matching opaque shapes for adjustment with respect to a corresponding matrix of translucent portions on the outer glass panel. The matrix of translucent portions may be formed by silk-screening on an inside surface of the outer glass panel.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for variably adjusting the opacity of a vehicle window sun screen.
The above objects and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.